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BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTOR ROLE

JAMAUR HOUSTON

The Chicago Academy for the Arts

Jack, INTO THE WOODS

BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTRESS ROLE

SOPHIA LEVERETT

Providence Catholic High School

Ursula, DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID

BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTOR ROLE RUNNER-UP

TOMMY GRANT

Loyola Academy

Cornelius Hackl, HELLO, DOLLY!

BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTRESS ROLE RUNNER-UP

MOLLY CZECHANSKI

Lincoln-Way East High School

Eurydice, HADESTOWN (TEEN EDITION)

BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTOR ROLE FINALIST

GABRIEL MCKINNEY

Homewood-Flossmoor High School

Ms. Winx, BETWEEN THE LINES

BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTRESS ROLE FINALIST

MYAH CRAWFORD

Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School

The Witch, INTO THE WOODS

BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTOR ROLE NOMINEES

Logan Arroyo

Lincoln Way-East High School

Hermes, HADESTOWN (TEEN EDITION)

Corey Atkinson

Crystal Lake Central High School

Harold Hill, THE MUSIC MAN

Kaden Krumrei

The Chicago Academy for the Arts

The Baker, INTO THE WOODS

Sebastián Llavona

Dundee-Crown High School

Bobby Strong, URINETOWN

Mason Natyshok

Coal City High School

Beadle Bamford, SWEENEY TODD

Justin Shorris

Adlai E. Stevenson High School

Trent Oliver, THE PROM (SCHOOL EDITION)

Bryce Stewart

Homewood-Flossmoor High School

Prince Oliver, BETWEEN THE LINES

Tyler Weaver

Richwoods High School

Randall, BRING IT ON

Aaron Yaccino

Cary-Grove High School

Jack, INTO THE WOODS

 

BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTRESS ROLE NOMINEES

Natalie Beck

Harrisburg High School

Ursula, DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID

Kaleigh Buda

Lincoln-Way West High School

Charlotte, RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA

Samantha Grant

The Chicago High School for the Arts

SpongeBob SquarePants, THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

Stella Hoyt

Homewood-Flossmoor High School

Delilah McPhee, BETWEEN THE LINES 

Lydia Jensen

Prairie Ridge High School

Katherine Howard, SIX (TEEN EDITION) 

Veronica Sample

Burlington Central High School

Doralee Rhodes, 9 to 5 The Musical

Emma Schiffbauer

Minooka Community High School

Anya/Princess Anastasia, ANASTASIA

Amélie Villaseñor

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

Peter Pan, PETER PAN

Audrey Wagner

Hampshire High School

Sandy Cheeks, THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

BEST DIRECTION AWARD RECIPIENT & NOMINEES

James Reinbacher, Reed-Custer High School, PIPPIN*

Dominic A. Cattero, Batavia High School, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD

Ben Stoner, Crystal Lake South High School, THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

Hanna Drake, Harrisburg High School, DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID

Sade’ May, Thornton Fractional North High School, THE COLOR PURPLE

BEST ENSEMBLE AWARD RECIPIENT & NOMINEES

Crystal Lake Central High School, THE MUSIC MAN*

Adlai E. Stevenson High School, THE PROM (SCHOOL EDITION)

Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School, INTO THE WOODS

Champaign Central High School, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

Hinsdale South High School, SIX (TEEN EDITION)

BEST PRODUCTION AWARD RECIPIENT & NOMINEES

Lincoln-Way East High School, HADESTOWN (TEEN EDITION)*

Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School, INTO THE WOODS

Coal City High School, SWEENEY TODD

Crystal Lake Central High School, THE MUSIC MAN

Homewood-Flossmoor High School, BETWEEN THE LINES

* Denotes Award Recipient

2025 IHSMTA Student Reporters

Raina Ashrafi – Addison Trail High School

Keniyah Stephenson – Thornton Fractional North High School*

*Denotes Jimmy Awards Finalist

Nominees for the 2025 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards Announced! Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce the 24 student nominees for Best Performer in an Actor and Actress role,  and nominees for Best Ensemble, Best Direction and Best Production for the 2025 Broadway In Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA).

NOMINEES FOR BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTRESS ROLE

  • Natalie Beck as Ursula in Harrisburg High School’s Disney’s The Little Mermaid
  • Kaleigh Buda as Charlotte in Lincoln-Way West High School’s Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Broadway Version)
  • Myah Crawford as The Witch in Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School’s Into the Woods
  • Molly Czechanski as Eurydice in Lincoln-Way East High School’s Hadestown: Teen Edition
  • Samantha Grant as SpongeBob SquarePants in The Chicago High School for the Arts’ The SpongeBob Musical
  • Stella Hoyt as Delilah McPhee in Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s Between the Lines
  • Lydia Jensen as Katherine Howard in Prairie Ridge High School’s SIX: Teen Edition
  • Sophia Leverett as Ursula in Providence Catholic High School’s Disney’s The Little Mermaid
  • Veronica Sample as Doralee Rhodes in Burlington Central High School’s 9 to 5 The Musical
  • Emma Schiffbauer as Anya/Princess Anastasia in Minooka Community High School’s Anastasia
  • Amélie Villaseñor as Peter Pan in Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School’s Peter Pan
  • Audrey Wagner as Sandy Cheeks in Hampshire High School’s The SpongeBob Musical

NOMINEES FOR BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTOR ROLE

  • Logan Arroyo as Hermes in Lincoln-Way East High School’s Hadestown: Teen Edition
  • Corey Atkinson as Harold Hill in Crystal Lake Central High School’s The Music Man
  • Tommy Grant as Cornelius Hackl in Loyola Academy’s Hello, Dolly!
  • Jamaur Houston as Jack in The Chicago Academy for the Arts’ Into the Woods
  • Kaden Krumrei as The Baker in The Chicago Academy for the Arts’ Into the Woods
  • Sebastián Llavona as Bobby Strong in Dundee-Crown High School’s Urinetown
  • Gabriel McKinney as Ms. Winx in Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s Between the Lines
  • Mason Natyshok as Beadle Bamford in Coal City High School’s Sweeney Todd
  • Justin Shorris as Trent Oliver in Adlai E. Stevenson High School’s The Prom (School Edition)
  • Bryce Stewart as Prince Oliver in Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s Between the Lines
  • Tyler Weaver as Randall in Richwoods High School’s Bring It On
  • Aaron Yaccino as Jack in Cary-Grove High School’s Into the Woods

NOMINEES FOR BEST ENSEMBLE

  • Adlai E. Stevenson High School’s The Prom (School Edition)
  • Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School’s Into the Woods
  • Champaign Central High School’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
  • Crystal Lake Central High School’s The Music Man
  • Hinsdale South High School’s SIX: Teen Edition

NOMINEES FOR BEST DIRECTION

  • Dominic A. Cattero, Batavia High School’s Songs For A New World
  • Ben Stoner, Crystal Lake South High School’s The SpongeBob Musical
  • Hannah Drake, Harrisburg High School’s Disney’s The Little Mermaid
  • James Reinbacher, Reed-Custer High School’s Pippin
  • Sade’ May, Thornton Fractional North High School’s The Color Purple

NOMINEES FOR BEST PRODUCTION

  • Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School’s Into the Woods
  • Coal City High School’s Sweeney Todd
  • Crystal Lake Central High School’s The Music Man
  • Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s Between the Lines
  • Lincoln-Way East High School’s Hadestown: Teen Edition

2025 IHSMTA Student Reporters

Raina Ashrafi – Addison Trail High School Keniyah Stephenson – Thornton Fractional North High School

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to have high schools across the State of Illinois participate in the 14th Annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards, Sponsored by NBC 5. The Broadway In Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA) celebrate excellence in high school theatre throughout the State of Illinois.

This year’s categories include Best Performer in an Actor Role, Best Performer in Actress Role, Best Production, Best Direction and Best Ensemble. Twenty-four nominees (12 in each Best Performance category) will perform on stage at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) and compete in front of Chicago casting agents and theater professionals.

From the twenty-four nominees, two Illinois award recipients will go on an all-expense paid trip to New York City to represent the State of Illinois at The Jimmy Awards® and participate in a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase on Broadway, where a panel of judges crowns the nation’s top performers. The Jimmy Awards® are named after legendary Broadway theater owner and producer James M. Nederlander. Broadway In Chicago is a Nederlander presentation and is excited be a part of a network of theatres across the country participating in The Jimmy Awards®.

Important Dates

The Jimmy Awards®: Monday, June 23, 2025

Congratulations to our 2025 IHSMTA Participating High Schools

Addison Trail High School

Adlai E. Stevenson High School

Amundsen High School

Auburn High School

Aurora Central Catholic High School

Barrington High School

Batavia High School

Benet Academy

Bolingbrook High School

Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School

Burlington Central High School

Byron High School

Cary-Grove High School

Champaign Central High School

Chicago Chrisitan High School

Coal City High School

Crystal Lake Central High School

Crystal Lake South High School

Deerfield High School

Dundee-Crown High School

Dunlap High School

Elmwood Park High School

Evergreen Park High School

Fenwick High School

Glenbard East High School

Glenbard West High School

Glenwood High School

Grayslake Central High School

Hampshire High School

Harrisburg High School

Harry D. Jacobs High School

Hillsboro High School

Hinsdale South High School

Hoffman Estates High School

Homewood-Flossmoor High School

Huntley High School

James B. Conant High School

Joliet West High School

Lane Tech High School

Leyden High School

Libertyville High School

Lincoln Community High School

Lincoln-Way East High School

Lincoln-Way West High School

Loyola Academy

Mahomet-Seymour High School

Maine West High School

McHenry Community High School

Minooka Community High School

Mother McAuley High School

Naperville Central High School

Nazareth Academy

North Shore Country Day High School

Northside College Prep High School

Oak Lawn Community High School

Oak Park and River Forest High School

Palatine High School

Plainfield Central High School

Plainfield East High School

Plainfield North High School

Plainfield South High School

Prairie Ridge High School

Providence Catholic High School

Reavis High School

Reed-Custer High School

Richwoods High School

Robinson High School

Romeoville High School

Rosary High School

Saint Ignatius College Prep

Saint Viator High School

Schaumburg High School

South Elgin High School

St Francis High School

Stillman Valley High School

Sycamore High School

Taft High School

The Chicago Academy for the Arts

The Chicago High School for the Arts

Thornton Fractional North High School

Trinity High School

University High School

Urbana High School

Vernon Hills High School

Wheaton North High School